Manavasi Ramaswami Iyer discovered the healing powers of Sri Ramana Maharshi during Virupaksha days and composed the “Saranagati” song. This powerful song invokes the grace of the master and is sung in many programs of Ramana Sat Sanghs. His daughter, Sri Ramani Ammal, was a talented musician. She gave music lessons to many fortunate ladies in Ramananagar.

Sri Ramani Ammal set the one hundred and eight verses of Akshara Mana Malai in nine different ragas. Each set of twelve verses is sung in a special raga. During the annual Sharad Navaratri festival, Akshara Mana Malai, the rare gem of hymnal praise of Lord Arunachala composed by Sri Ramana Maharshi, is sung in nine melodious ragas before the Divine Mother. (Note: Raga is a traditional melodic type in Hindu music, consisting of a theme that expresses an aspect of religious feeling and sets forth a tonal system on which variations are improvised within a prescribed framework of typical progressions, melodic formulas, and rhythmic patterns.).

Smt. Sushila Ramanan, the wife of ashram president, learned to sing Akshara Mana Malai in nine ragas from Sri Ramana ammal. We are happy to present Akshara Mana Malai sung by Sushila Ramanan and J Jayaraman in nine ragas.

• Kappu - Bowli Raga
• 1–12 - Saama Raga
• 13–24 - Behāg Raga
• 25–36 - Bhagyashree Raga
• 37–48 - Sivaranjani Raga
• 49–60 - Kapi Ragam
• 61–72  - Nadanamakriya Ragam
• 73–84 - Yamuna Kalyani Ragam
• 85–96  - Senchurutti Ragam
• 97–108 - Sindhu Bhairavi Ragam